“If you build it, we will burn it. The ELFs are mad” (qtd in Coronado 1). The message was horribly clear on the morning of August 1, 2003, where it was found painted at the site of the most costly ecoterrorist action ever taken against the United States. The Earth Liberation Front, or ELF, claimed responsibility for burning an unfinished condominium complex in San Diego, along with the $50 million in damages. This was nothing new for how ELF deals with environmental issues and environmental protection, just a more costly and therefore more noticeable attack. Since 1997 ELF has claimed responsibility in attacks totaling around $100 million in damages. The ELF is attacking targets on American soil to stop greed, for environmental protection and to increase public awareness of their cause.
The ELF is a decentralized group of radical environmentalists that take an extreme stand on environmental protection, environmental science and other environmental issues. They have been described as being “more autonomous cells and individuals than actual groups” (qtd in Pressman 2). Anyone willing to carry out “direct action” following the ELF principles can be a member. These principles include insuring that all living things go unharmed. To date, not a single person has been killed in an ELF assault related to environmental protection (Pressman 2).
According to the ELF website , one of their goals is “To inflict economic damage on those profiting from the destruction and exploitation of the natural environment.” This realm includes businesses as well as individuals. Craig Rosebraugh, the former spokesman for ELF, said in an interview with Dan Rather, “Driving a Hummer, $50,000 General Motors tool for the rich, 10 miles to the gallon, that is violence.” They have a strong hatred for the Hummer, and have burned or vandalized them in several states based on their stance on environmental issues. The largest incident occurred in California, where a college student stands accused of “firebombing” 125 SUVs costing over two million dollars in damage (Finlay 1). But what does this accomplish? People still buy SUVs everyday, and if sales have dropped at all it is because of oil prices, not the fear that an extremist will demolish it.
When it comes to “economic damage,” SUVs and gas-guzzlers are not the only targets. The lumber and logging industries have also been struck by the “elves”. ELFs are well known for “spiking” trees. Tree spiking involves putting metal spikes into a tree so it will ruin any chainsaw that comes across it (“Brutal” 1). This also puts the operator of the chain saw at risk. Many attacks have also been made on the lumberyards themselves, again costing millions of dollars.
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